Cake washing and conditioning machine



9 Sheets-Sheet J. J. SIPPEL CAKE WASHING AND CONDITIONING MACHINE Filed Dec. 13, 1952 lllll I I May 21, 1935."

y 1 J. J. SIPPEL r 2,002,418

CAKE WASHING AND CONDITIONING MACHINE Filed'Dec. 15, 1952 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 21, 1935.

J. J. SIPPEL 2,002,418

CAKE WASHING AND CONDITIONING MACHINE Filed Dec. 15, 1932 9 Sheets-Sheet 3 May 21, 1935.

J. J. SIPPEL 2,002,418 CAKE WASHING AND CONDITIONING MACHINE Filed Dec. 13, 1932 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 :1: 'iII May 21, 1935. .1. J. SIPPEL CAKE WASHING AND CONDITIONING MACHINE Filed Dec.

15, 1932 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 fiymye a g May 21, 1935. j J, s pp 2,002,418

CAKE WASHING AND CONDITIONING MACHINE Filed Dec. 13, 1932 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 J. J. SIPPEL CAKE WASHING AND CONDITIONING MACHINE 1932 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Dec. 13

May 21, 1935. J. J. SIPPEL CAKE WASHING AND CONDITIONING MACHINE Filed Dec. 13, 1932 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 umes May 21, 1935. J jJ sjpp 2,002,418

CAKE WASHI NG AND CONDITIONING MACHINE Filed Dec. 13, 1952 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 11mm lnumnnn I Jaiznc/fvsepi Patented May 21, 1935 CAKE WASHING AND CONDITIONING MACHINE 7 John Joseph Sipp to H. W. Butterw'orth & Sons Company,

el, Upper Darby; .Pa assignor' Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application December 13, 1932, Serial No.- 647,068

11 Claims.

This invention relates to a cake-washing and conditioning an apparatus for the cont to prepare the same for use. to those familiar with v rayon cakes, in their original state, contain foreign substances which use ofthe' yarn. This is,

rayon cakes As is well known must be machine, and more particularly to inuous treatment of the art,

removed prior to ordinarily, accomplished by unreeling the cake and skeining the yarn and then putting the yarn through the various processes necessary to properly condition the same.

This conditioning involves tre atment of the yarn by a plurality of fluids with the resultant necessity for frequent handling of the skeins which become tangled and the. threads of which are often broken or otherwise An important object provision of a structure rayon cake, per se, may through the various condi of this rendered unfit for use.

invention is the by means of which the be continuously carried tioning stages and successively subjected to the different treatments without handling. 1 1

A iurtherand more specific vention is the provision in anapparatus of this character of a construction su with which the cakes a may be successively passe stations, at each of be automatically connects object of the inch that a header, re interiorly connected, d through a plurality of which a fluid employed in the treatment is introduced to the sity of manual operations.

a A further object of .the invention is the-pro vision in apparatus of this character of-Uan ar header, and may d with a source of supfluids in such stations uponat the station'and without the necesa rangement such that the header-can be securely d-proof connection to the source of supplyat each of a series of stations by connected by a flui automatic means.

provision of t of the successively progressing. the

handling the headers when such stations and for they have completedt tions.

These and struction shown in the a wherein, for the purpose of .myinvention,

shown a preferred. embodiment and wherein:

Figs. 1 and la. comprise a rayon cake-conditioning mac invention: is the heir travelthrough the staother, objects Ifattain by the conccompanying drawings side elevation of a hine constructed in accordance with my invention; 1

Fig. 2 isa semi-diagramma the. apparatus; 1

tie plan view of Fig. 3 Ba section on line 3-3'of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view similar to that shown in Fig. Sillustrating the construction of thecake mountings and of the fluid inlet for the headers;

' Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the apparatus; a i

.Fig. '7 is an enlarged plan view of one of the headers;

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the control apparatus regulating progression of the headers. through the various treating stages;

Fig. 9 is a verticalsectional view through the control valve; i

Figure 10 is a horizontal sectional view there-- through; and

Fig. 11 is a sectional valve.

Referring now more particularly to the'drawmgs, the numerals l0 and H generally designate side members supported by spaced standards I2. The side members between each pair of standards support drip pans [3, the discharge of which is led to either a fluid storage or a drain, depending upon the character of the treating fluid at the particular station. Side members It and I I like-. wise support spaced parallel tracks l4 and l5,"of which the track I4 is shown as directly carried by the side member, and the track i5 is supported therefrom through an overhanging bracket l6. In alignment with each pan, the side member 10 has mounted therein a fluid inlet nozzle l1 supplied from a motor-operated pump 58...: While Figizl illustrates pumps as applied'at only three of the stations, it will be understood that each of the stations is so equipped, as more clearly shown in Fig. 2,'with the exception of the final or drip station of the apparatus. The opposite side member H is equipped at each of the stations with the exception of the drip station; with a hydraulic ram l9, the purpose of which is presently toappear- There may be as many stations between the entry station and the drip station as desired, thenumber of stations provided depending upon the type of treatment employed for the yarn. It will, of course, be understood that in some methods of treatment a greater variety of treating fluids is employed than in others, and while it is, ordinarily, necessary to ,wash the cakes after each station at which a treating fluid is introduced, the washing may in some instances be omitted. The stations illustrated in-Figs. 1 and 1a will,.theref ore be understood as merely illustrative and, not limiting.

, the header through a distance equivalent to the At each of the side members l5 and H and at the entry and drip stations, sprockets or chain wheels it are provided, about which is trained a chain, or other suitable flexible element indi cated at Each side member bears a hydraulic traverse cylinder 22 connected through slides 23 with the ends of the chain 2! of the side member, these connections permitting adjustment, as indicated at 2 1-. The upper run of the chain, or that portion thereof extending between the upper peripheral portions of the chain wheels 20, bears a series of dogs 25 corresponding in number to the number of stations, disregarding the entry station.

With a foundation structure of this character, I employ a, plurality of headers 25, these being provided in number sufficient to insure a constant suppy at the entry orreceiving end. Each header comprises a hollow body 21 having in its upper wall a series of openings 28. The sidesof the header, through projecting brackets 29, en-- gage the lower ends oflinks 3t pivotally suspendedfrom carriages comprising bars 3! supported at their opposite ends by pairs of rollers 32 and 33 engaging the tracks M and I5 respectively. It will be noted that through this suspension the header is capable of transverse movement between the side members. v

Each header, at thatside thereof opposed to the side member 5 ii, is provided with an extended inlet 34 adapted for co-action with the flared mouths of nozzles ii. The outer ends of these inlets are provided with soft gaskets 35 adapted toengage the inner end of the nozzle fitting about the opening thereof so that a perfect seal may be established. Each header, at its opposite side and adjacent the side member H', has a striker plate sfi'for engagement by the ram 19..

It will be obvious that when a header is disposed in any particular station and the ram l9 thereof actuated, it will engage the header, forcing the same transversely between the side members and bringing the sealing element 35 into sealing engagement with the .inner end of the. nozzle fitting so thata fluid-tightconnection is provided and fluid under pressure can be pumped into the header by the pump of the station.

In order that the header may be moved to the successive. stations, each header has a latch ele- 'ment 3?. for co-action with the lugs 38 of the chains 2i, these latch elements being pivoted-so that when chains 28 at their upper runs are moved toward the entry or charging end, the lugs of the chain will pass under the latch elements'without eifect thereon, but when the chain ismoved in the direction of the arrow, the lugs will engage the latch elements moving the headers mounted on the. machine through a step, the length of which is determined by the extent of movement of-the ram of traverse cylinder 22, thus shifting space between adjacent stations.

Rayon cakes are mounted upon the headers in the manner'more particularly shown. in Fig. 4. Each cake is placed upon .a mounting comprising aninner perforated cylindrical wall 39 provided at its lower end with a flange 40 which is defined by an upstanding rim 42 and a downwardly-extending shoulder. 43. As shown in this figure, the cakes C are usually of tapered form and'shou'lder 43 is formed on such a diameter that it will engage about the upper or smaller end of the cake, while the shoulder 42 will engage about the larger or lower end of the cake.

The inner cylindrical cylinders 22 through a branch wall is of such diameter that it will flt about the outlets 28 and the lowermost cake is placed in this position while the remaining cakes are stacked thereon until the stack attains a desired height. A cap plate id is then placed on the stack. Each header has hinged hold-down plates A35 which may be swung to position over top of the cakes and held in this position through pivoted latches 46. Each holddown plate is equipped with a pressure screw 4'! aligned with each stack of cakes and adapted to engage against the cap plate Mi of the stack. It will be obvious that when the cakes are stacked upon the header they will be very securely held and will be disposed with their interiors in communication with the interior of the header; consequently, if liquid is forced into the header, it will pass through the cakes washing or treating the same and then pass downwardly over the header and into the drip pan E3 of the station at which the header is located. The side members It] and H are preferably provided at their inner faces with rubber splash guards 8 to prevent the treating liquids from coming into contact with the mechanism to any more than the necessary extent.

The operation of the several elements herein before described is coordinated by means of the apparatus diagrammatically shown in Fig. 8. In this figure-the numeral -8 designates a distributing valve having a pressure fluid inlet port communicating through a conduit 5| with the discharge of a pump 52, which pump receives its supply from a sump 53. The rake further includes an exhaust fluid outlet port 5d communicating through a conduit with sump 53. element 56 solenoids 57 and 58 and acts to alternately place conduits 59 and 60 in communication with the pressure fluid inlet and the exhaust fluid outlet. Conduit 59 communicates with all of the cylinders lea. of rams E9 to deliver fluid pressure to these rams in the operative stroke of the rams, while conduit 6i] communicates with all of these cylinders to deliver fluid pressure to the rams in the withdrawal stroke of the rams. Conduit 59 communicates with corresponding ends of traverse conduit 6! containing a cycle valve 62 while conduit 68 communicates with the opposite ends of these cylinders through a branch conduit 63 containing a cycle valve 6d. Cycle valves 62 and 64 each comprise a cylinder 65 having an inlet port 66 adjacent one end, an exhaust port 67 adjacent the opposite end, and an outlet port 68 midway between its ends. A piston 65 within the cylinder is normally so positioned by a spring 7i] that it cuts oif flow between inlet port 68 and port 68 and establishes a flow connection between exhaust port 61 and the port 68. When fluid under pressure is admitted at port 66, and the accrued pressure becomes sufficient to shift the valve, the. valve is shifted to a position where it establishes communication between ports 6t and 68 and cuts oil communication between ports 67 and The port 66 is, in each instance, connected-with the conduit 59 or Fillwith which the valve is associated, the port iii with the return line 55, and the port 68 with the cylinders. Solenoids 5? and 58 are controlled through a suitable timing device ii to provide an operation substantially as follows: Assume the treating apparatus hereinbefore described to be loaded and each station thereof occupied by a header supporting rayon cakes under treatment. At the end of the treating period, fluid is delivered through conduit 60 to the inner ends of ram The valve 7 of this valve is controlled through cylinders IS a withdrawing these rams and permitting the headers 26 to move through the supporting links thereof to a position where the headers are freed of all contact with the side members other than through their supporting carriages. When the rams are fully withdrawn, pressure builds up in conduit 60 with the result that the piston 69 of valve 64 is elevated and pressure is delivered to the left handv ends of traverse cylinders 22 in Fig. 8. This pressure movesthe rams of the traverse cylinders, and through the rams and chains 2| moves all of the headers 26 through a distance of one station. Timing device H then operates to reverse the position of valve 49 so that pressure fluid is now delivered through conduit 59 to the outer ends of the ram cylinders 19a. The rams of the cylinders are projected, engaging the striker plates 36 of the several headers and moving the headers transversely until the inlets thereof come into sealing engagement with the mouths of nozzles 11. With the completion of this movement, pressure builds up in conduit 59, the piston 69 of cycle valve 62 is elevated and pressure is delivered to the right hand ends of cylinders 22 in Fig. 8. The chains are thus reversely shifted without moving the headers and positioned for a second stroke. During the stroke of the pistons of the cylinders 22, exhaust fluid passes through the proper cycle valve 64 by way of ports 68 and 61 thereof to the sump. With the arrival of headers ata new station and the actuation of solenoid 51 to position the valve 49 for distribution of fluid pressure to conduit 59, the pump motors of treating fluid supply pumps l8 are actuated to provide delivery. These pumps are usually of the centrifugal type and there is a sufficient discharge lag upon initial operation thereof to enable the rams 19 to perform their function prior to delivery of fluid at'the nozzles H. The treating period is fairly extended, and itwill, of course, be obvious that pressure delivered to the ram cylinders I90. must be continuous during this operation. For this reason, the discharge line 5| of pump 52 has a relief valve 12 permitting the discharge from this pump to pass to the sump after a predetermined pressure has been generated in the discharge line.

It will be obvious that with apparatus of this character, treatment of the cakes is materially facilitated in that there is no handling either of the cakes ported from the time of their delivery to the machine until the treating operation is completed, all operations in passing the headers from one station to another being automatic and connections with the treating fluid supplies at such stations being likewise automatic.

It will also be obvious that with apparatus of this character the same power employed to cause station-to-station likewise, be employed to deliver these headers upon trucks 13 through which they may be shifted through unloading and loading stations and returned to the loading or empty end of the machine. A convenient truck for this purpose comprises a wheel-supported frame 14 having track elements 15 provided at their opposite'ends with clamping means it for engagement with the ends of the members l0 and II to insure alignment of the track elements 15 with thetrack elements of 7 these members. 1

As the apparatus described is capable of considerable modification without in any manner departing from the spirit of my invention, I do not or the headers on which they are supa movement of the headers may,

wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto except as hereinafter claimed.

,1. In a machine of the character described, a row of, nozzles, a header having an inlet, means supporting the header for movement along said row of nozzles in spaced relation to said nozzles, means for intermittently moving the header from one nozzle to another, and means for transversely shifting the header to bring the inletof the header into sealing engagement with each nozzle when the header is aligned therewith. i

' 2. In amachine of the character described, a row of nozzles, a header having an inlet, means supporting the header for movement along said row of nozzles in'spaced relationto said nozzles, means for intermittently moving the header from one nozzle. to another, means for transversely shifting the header to bring the inlet of the header into sealing engagement with each nozzle when the header is aligned therewith, and timing means coordinating operation of said moving means and said shifting means. 3. In a machine of the character described, a row of nozzles, a header having an inlet, means supporting the header for movement along said row of nozzles in spaced relation to said nozzles, means for intermittently moving the header from one nozzle to. another, means for transversely shifting the header to bring the inlet of the header into sealing engagement with each nozzle when the header is aligned therewith comprising a ram associated with each nozzle and arranged at the opposite side of the path? of movement of the header from the nozzle, and means for actuating the ram when the header is between the ram and its associated nozzle.

4. In a machine of the character described, a row of nozzles, a header having an inlet, means supporting the header for movement along said row of nozzles in spaced relation to said nozzles, means for intermittently moving the header from one nozzle to another, means for transversely shifting the header to bring the inlet of the header into sealing engagement with each nozzle when the header is aligned therewith comprising a ram associated with each nozzle and arranged at the opposite side of the path of movement of theheader from the nozzle, means for actuating the ram when the header is between the ram and its associated nozzle, and means for alternately operating said moving means and said rams.

5. In a machine of thecharacter described, a row of nozzles, a header having an inlet, means supporting the header for movement along said row of nozzles in spaced relation to said nozzles, automatic means for intermittently moving the header from one nozzle to another, and automatic means for transversely shifting the header to bring the inlet of the header into sealing engagementwith each nozzle when the header is aligned therewith. I

6. In a machine of the character described, a row of nozzles, a header having an inlet, means supporting the header for movement along said row of nozzles in spaced relation to said nozzles, automatic means for intermittently moving the header from one nozzle to another, and automatic aligned therewith comprising a ram associated with each nozzlev and arranged at the opposite side of the path of movement of the header from the nozzle, and means for actuating the ram when the header is between the ram and its associated nozzle.

'7. In a machine of the character described, a row of nozzles, a header having an inlet, means supporting the header for movement along said row of nozzles in spaced relation to said nozzles, means for intermittently moving the header from one nozzle to another, means for transversely shifting the header to bring the inlet of the header into sealing engagement with each nozzle when the header is aligned therewith, means for supplying treating-fluids to said nozzles, means rendering the supply means of each nozzle operative as the header is brought into sealing engagement therewith, and timing means coorinating operation of said moving, shifting and supply means.

8. In a machine of the character described, a row of nozzles, a header having an inlet, means supporting the header for movement along said row of nozzles in spaced relation to said nozzles, hydraulically operated means for intermittently moving the header from one nozzle to another, hydraulically operated means for transversely shifting the header to bring the inlet of the header into sealing engagement with each nozzle when the header is aligned therewith, a single supply means for said hydraulically operated means, and means to delay operation of the intermittent moving means until the shifting means has released the header from a previously engaged inlet.

9. In a machine of the character described, parallel tracks, a carriage on each track, a header below .the carriages, a'link suspended from each carriage and supporting the associated header for movement in a direction transverse to the tracks, means for intermittently moving the car'- riages along the tracks, a series of nozzles arranged at one side of the tracks, and means to engage the header and transversely move the same when the inlet of the header comes in alignment with a nozzle.

10. In a machine of the character described, parallel'tracks, a carriage on each track, a header below the carriages, a link suspended from each carriage and supporting the associated header for-movement in a direction transverse to the tracks, means for intermittently moving the carriages along the tracks, a series of nozzles arranged at one side of the tracks, means to engage the header and transversely move the same when the inlet of the header comes in alignment with a nozzle, and means to coordinate operation of said carriage moving and header moving means.

' 11. In a machine. of the character described, parallel tracks, a carriage on each track, a header below the carriages, a link supported from the carriages for movement in a direction transverse to the tracks, said header having an inlet, a series of nozzles adjacent one side of the tracks, means to engage the header and move it transversely when it comes into alignment with a nozzle, and means for intermittently shifting the carriages to bring the header inlet into alignment with the nozzles, comprising a longitudinal reciprocable member associated with each track, and co--acting means upon the reciprocable member and said carriages, whereby the carriages are advanced upon each movement of the members in one direction.

' JOHN JOSEPH SIPPEL. 

